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Concerns about defence handling of abuse complaints

ELIZABETH JACKSON: A military lawyer representing alleged victims of abuse within the Defence Force says he's continuing to be approached by victims of abuse who are still serving members of the Defence.

On Thursday, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Morgan blew the whistle on what he called systematic failure by the entire Defence hierarchy to deal with complaints of abuse, despite numerous reviews and pledges to change the culture.

Colonel Morgan says there are hundreds of victims of abuse still serving within Defence ranks.

Adair Donaldson is representing around 80 alleged victims of abuse who say they were maltreated on board HMAS Leeuwin in the 1960s and 70s.

Mr Donaldson told AM's reporter Sarah Dingle he was last approached by a serving officer with an abuse complaint just months ago, and he's commended Colonel Morgan's decision to speak out.

ADAIR DONALDSON: I take my hat off to him. Obviously he feels incredibly strongly about this, and it's something that he wants to make sure that everybody is aware of and to be talking out for the benefit of other people which are suffering abuse whilst still being employed by the ADF (Australian Defence Force).

SARAH DINGLE: What do you think of Colonel Morgan's comments that nothing has changed - particularly in his case that his victimisation - he was failed systematically by every member of Defence hierarchy up to the Chief of Army?

ADAIR DONALDSON: Well that is of significant concern. But if I could look at it from a view of what has occurred over the last two years, I suppose the most concerning part was his thoughts in relation to the fact that since the Pathway to Change document has been published by the ADF, which heralded a new start for the ADF, his views are that nothing has changed in the ADF even since that document has been produced.

Now I note that General Hurley is quite genuine about making sure that there is change introduced. But you would hope that ... that message isn't just coming down from the top - you would hope that that message is coming up from the bottom as well.

It needs to be not only a top-down approach, but also the men have to accept, the men and women have to accept that these sorts of issues are no longer tolerated within the ADF.

SARAH DINGLE: Colonel Morgan says that Defence has dragged its feet at every step when dealing with his complaint, and its behaviour consistent with a cover-up.

Does that tally with what you've seen of complaints handled by Defence of abuse?

ADAIR DONALDSON: Certainly in the past it does.

We're dealing with victims who, or alleged victims, that came forward as part of the DLA Piper review, and then in the process of dealing with the Defence Abuse Response Task Force. And certainly the anecdotal evidence that has been given by these people coming forward is that they haven't been treated appropriately by the ADF. And certainly they haven't got faith in the way complaints have been handled.

SARAH DINGLE: Does Colonel Morgan's experience make you, I suppose, give you concern, that your clients, once again, will not be listened to?

ADAIR DONALDSON: No, it certainly makes me more determined. Something has to change.

Over the last 10 to 20 years, there has been inquiry after inquiry which has raised issues in relation to cultural issues that exist within the ADF. What I thought was a very important moment was when the Minister announced a raft of inquires, the Broderick Inquiry for instance, or alternatively, the Pathways to Change, that document, or the DLA Piper report, I thought, 'Geez, here it is, we're finally going to put all these issues to bed and that the ADF will then be able to move on.'

And you've got to remember that the majority of people within the ADF are doing the right thing. But at the moment, after hearing that interview by Colonel Morgan, I would be concerned that there is still, as he describes it, hundreds of people within the ADF which are still experiencing abuse whose claims aren't being dealt with appropriately, and that obviously is of great concern.

SARAH DINGLE: Have you ever heard from any serving members?

ADAIR DONALDSON: Sarah, I don't want to comment about individual cases, but I can tell you that I've spoken to serving members that have had issues in the past, most definitely.

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